Who do the crowds say I am?

What do you see in common with these four paintings?

When I asked my group this question this morning several pointed out "all four men are praying." 

"They look like they are in pain, agony or suffering." 

One lady said, "I see with the color there is hope in the suffering."

This morning as I taught about the moment when Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do the people say I am?" (Luke 9:18-22) I used these four paintings to emphasize that the people or crowds thought Jesus was Elijah, John the Baptist, or a prophet of old. 

I wanted them to see they saw their character. The knew Jesus was like these men of faith, but still very different. 

Jesus confounded them. So much so that Herod, the governor, questioned, "Who is this man?"

As we were discussing this, it hit me, the crowds recognized His character of passion, prayer, and even willingness to suffer, yet they did not believe. 

Why?  

They lacked the love tgat moves forward in obedience.

They did not have the greatest commandment at work in them. They did not love Jesus with all of their heart, mind, soul, or spirit. So, the knowledge of His character led to curiosity and perplexity but not transformation.

No wonder Jesus challenged the disciples to answer, "Who do you say I am?" 

Our world will communicate many opnions about Jesus. And in many cases, they might know a real truth like He is a teacher or a prophet. But until they have the love, it will mean nothing. A clanging cymbol.

It is the love that is willing to join the suffering servant and press through the pain of a trial. 

What about you? 

Can you say you love Jesus? Or do you just know alot about Him?

Plan the noble path

"Plan your life around the noblest way to benefit others." (Romans 12:17/TPT)

What a beautiful verse. 

What a humbling verse.

What a convicting verse. 

As the heat of emotion rises, do I plan to be noble?

As frustration mounts and seeks to crescendo into anger, do I plan to be noble?

As annoyance creeps into my skin, do I plan to be noble?

As expectations fall short, do I plan to be noble? 

Oh my, what a great reminder! 

What might it look like "to plan to be noble?"

Choosing to calm emotions as they rise.

Telling frustration to calm down and listen.

Acknowledging annoyance and giving it a name, but not a lane.

Releasing expectations and seeking to see.

Not holding on to the negative, but focusing on the possibilities. 

Yes, Father, help us to plan our lives around the noblest path to benefit others as You did for us. In Jesus' name, amen

Set my world on fire

Do you ever wonder, "Do I even hear from God?"

I know I do! 

BUT THEN GOD...

On July 24th my friend Danna came over and as I shared that our trip to Kenya was postponed. She shared that her trip to Ethiopia couldn't happen because the person she was traveling with had to cancel. We wondered, "Could we go together?"

It was fast and furious with long nights, lots of prayer and preparation in order to make it happen. On the night before we were to fly out God woke me up with this song. 

"I know this heart got power

These eyes got power

This love got power

This touch got power

Said this heart got power

These eyes got power

I feel it in my veins

I’m dancing every day (like)

I am finally alive

I’m gonna set my world on fire

I will never dim my light

I’m gonna set my world on fire."

I had to Google it. I didnt know where it came from or how I knew it. As Greg and I drove to the airport I found it on YouTube so we listened to it. When I heard the mom say, "I dont remember. " I was undone and cried. God was singing over me with a song that His power was at work in me.

My opening lesson for our trip would be the Word "Remember" from Psalm 42. Remember is used approximately 250 in many forms in Scripture. It always shows God's movement when He uses it and when it is used by man it shows his movement toward God. It calls for action. 

Psalm 42 also reminds us that God sings over us at night.

I started crying when I realized how God showed me He was moving with power in me. 

I didnt hear the song in the night again until last night. I woke up singing it again after traveling 36+ hours to get home.

What a gift of God to remind me that His power is moving through me. 

I am so humbled and blessed. God allowed me to train 48 pastors from 7 churches in different denominations. The topic: Singing in the Dark: Finding Healing through remembrance.

Thank you, FOR KING AND COUNTRY and Taylor Hill for such a blessed reminder in this song.

If you have not watched the video, watch it through the long pause to watch the electricity turn on to symbolize the power of His light moving through a village both physically and spiritually. Amazing!

This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine. I am going to set my world on fire. 

Amen & Hallelujah!

World on Fire by For King and Country

What are you doing here?

I was caught by this phrase, "Then the Word of the LORD came to Elijah and spoke to him, 'What are you doing here Elijah?'" (1 King 19:9).

Wait! We are told in John 1:1,14 that Jesus is the Word. This caused me to pause and dwell. Was this Jesus? What are the similarities between the Hebrew word "debar" and the Greek word "logos?" How might these two be one? 

By way of understanding, we need to know that the Hebrew word "debar" implies action. It is all about movement taking place. It is event driven with the idea of it being spoken, written, illustrated or experienced. While the Greek word "logos" focuses on the reason, an idea, the order of the divine mind. 

Oh boy, once I reminded myself of these truths I reread Elijah's story and was so blown away.

God met Elijah in his moment of great fear and grief. He was scared to death, so much so, he said he wanted to die and pretty much told God, "Take my life." All he could see was darkness, no light, even though he had just slayed all the prophets of Baal and called down fire from heaven. Isn't it crazy how we can be so bold in the LORD in one thing and terrified in another? The simple word of one person can knock us down! Ugh!

But here is the cool part. God met Elijah here in his point of great fear to the point of asking God to take his life. 

God did not rebuke Elijah. God was active in the circumstances to show Elijah how he could regain his divine mind and be able to reason again and move forward against evil.

God sent an angel (a messenger) with food and water to remind Elijah to eat, drink and rest up because he had a long journey ahead. All long journeys require proper sustenance! 

In this, God provided kind provisions. He could have just given Elijah manna that just appeared, but instead God baked bread on hot coals. Imagine how the very scent of warm baked bread would awaken the sense of home, comfort, and peace. 

God used questions to help Elijah process his "why" in the circumstance. "Why are you here, Elijah?" Elijah had left the height of a mountain top to hiding in a cave of mountain far far away. 

God listened then God spoke truth. God didn't negate what Elijah felt or said, God simply spoke the truth that countered the lies that were in his head.

God gave Elijah purpose. "Go anoint so and so!" And then God showed Elijah how those actions would provide the protection he needed. The strength of the ones he would anoint would become a wall of defense. Strength upon strength. 

God made sure Elijah knew he was not alone! Not only would he anoint mighty warriors, but there were many others! There were 7,000 others who have not bowed to the false gods of Baal! 

God showed how Elijah would be able to build his wall of defense against the evil Queen Jezebel and resided him to look outside himself to see what God sees. 

BUT in all of this... it required Elijah to do his active part and he needed to use his divine mind to become rational in how he moved forward to do what God revealed. He needed to receive God's messengers, God's provision, God's plan, and God's voice. He needed to be active in engaging his mind and body to do as God willed. 

Hmmm. Pretty amazing! 

Where might you be hiding? 

Which part of this story might you need to listen to and obey?

The Good Path

"My cup runneth over..." Psalm 23:5c

I saw these in my sketch book and had to share.

Bask in the goodness that in the LORD our cup runs over. This means He makes life full. We have more than we can fathom or imagine. He spills out of us we we follow Him.

"Surely, Goodness and Mercy follow me all the days of my life..." Psalm 23:6

Why? Because goodness and mercy follow us wherever we go. If we follow the Good Shepherd then these two character qualities will follow us around. They are His character running over and outside us and wherever we go they follow along because of Him in us.

He pours in and then He pours out.

We follow Him and His mercy and goodness follow us.

It is such a beautiful path.

Shalom. Shalom, y'all!

Jesus provided for His mother (John 19:25-30)

Today's widow's story is all about the gift of provision. Again, notice it is all about generosity.

I had to ask myself, "Who would you trust to care for your mom?"

Hmmm. I am as protective over my mom as I am my kids. 

What blows my mind is that Jesus was suffering the most excruciating pain and every breath hurt much less talking. 

Yet, He made a plan for His mom. "John, here is your mother. Mother here is your son." 

Jesus trusted John. 

I also love the gift of presence in suffering. In this case Jesus' deathbed was a vertical beam of wood covered with His nail stained blood. The women and John were there because of love. Love is present no matter how bad the pain. 

Yeah, there are some very deep lessons in the widow stories. 

Who might you need to give the gift of presence in their pain? 

Have you pondered the care of your mom? Who might you trust? What might that look like?

It is important to be in the Word, to be with Jesus, to be transformed.

Shalom! Shalom!

The Generous Widow: The motive of giving (Luke 21:1-4)

I love that generosity is not based on the amount given, but on the heart behind the one giving it. Jesus never criticized the rich givers in this story, but He praised the poor widow. But we often imply that Jesus criticizes the rich because of Matthew 6:2, "Do not sound the trumpets like the hypocrits do so they have the glory of man."

See, the money boxes in the temple were in the women's court because they couldn't go any further in to the temple. It had to be there so all could give.

Most believe this story is about the freewill offering. This is when we give from the heart not what was commanded. It is for the glory of God. He first gave to us so we give to Him. 

According to the Mishna the treasurey boxes had a metal trumpet funnel on top so that when your money dropped, it could be heard by the noise it made. It would trumpet the clink of the coins hitting and then rolling in until they dropped. 

Have you ever used a coin funnel at a museum? It is so much fun to watch the coins roll their way down. They move faster as the funnel gets smaller and smaller until it drops. If made of metal they are very loud.

I had no idea this was a thing in the temple until today. 

Who made such a device and why? Oh my!

Literally, no one could give a free will offering that was not seen or heard! 

Yet, in Matthew 6 Jesus says, "do not sound the trumpet like the hypocrits do." I wonder if this is the point behind this parable?

Jesus challenges us further by saying to not let your right hand know what the left hand does. 

Hmmm. Yeah, well, I am not very good at keeping secrets from myself. How do I have right motives? Or when do I have right motives? Sometimes, I can talk myself out of giving because I worry about the motive. Eeck. Ugh. Now, that is bad, too.

God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). I guess when I just focus on the joy of blessing, my motives get straight. It is no longer my motive. It is simply about blessing because I am blessed. This means my heart must be full of thanksgiving and gratitude.

Isn't it amazing how many life lessons God is teaching us through the widow's stories in the Bible!

Of course Jesus would use one of the least of these to humble us and help us grow. The amount she gave would have only been able to buy a few pieces of bread. 

Father, will You please teach us how to give with the right motives and yes to be willing to give out of our poverty and not just our wealth. 

I do wonder how this might change from person to person, LORD. I recognize our poverty can be so different as well as our wealth. These can come in time, talent, or treasure. Forgive us for wrong motives. Let us give out of the overflow of Jesus in us in whatever ways You may ask for Your glory and not our own. Thank you for all You have given us. In Jesus' name, amen